bark

Daytime Snoozing Can Disrupt Gene Function

Article
Heart & Vascular Health
Current Medical News
+1
Contributed byKrish Tangella MD, MBAApr 15, 2017

Night workers, business travelers, and colleges should be forewarned. Researchers at the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey have concluded that staying up all night and sleeping during the day disrupts the rhythm of about one-third of an individual’s genes.

Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers examined 22 participants in a dimly lit sleep lab for three days. On the first day, the researchers disrupted the participants’ sleep schedules to reset their biological clock to its native rhythm. On days two and three, the participants ate and slept on a 28-hour schedule until they were 12 hours out of sync of their normal biological clocks. The purpose was to mimic the effects of jet lag or working night shifts. Each day blood samples were drawn to analyze the timing of gene activity.

The blood tests revealed a decrease in gene expression. The first day with a normal sleep schedule, nearly 1,400 genes or 6.4 percent of all genes that were analyzed -- were in sync with the body’s rhythm. When the sleep schedules were shifted on days two and three, only 228 or 1 percent of the genes were analyzed.

Genes carry instructions for making proteins responsible for chemical signals and hormones, metabolism, inflammation, and immune response. Disrupted gene expression can be a sign of upset overall health.

“This research may help us to understand the negative health outcomes associated with shift work, jet lag, and other conditions in which the rhythms of our genes are disrupted,” said lead researcher Derk-Jan Dijk, professor of Sleep and Physiology and director of the Sleep Research Centre.

Shift workers are at higher risk for many health problems like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer, Dijk said. This study does not directly connect heath issues and night shift, however, experts say it’s a start in understanding why sleep may have such a powerful impact on a person’s health.

Additional Resource:

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/01/15/1316335111

Was this article helpful

On the Article

Krish Tangella MD, MBA picture
Approved by

Krish Tangella MD, MBA

Pathology, Medical Editorial Board, DoveMed Team

0 Comments

Please log in to post a comment.

Related Articles

Test Your Knowledge

Asked by users

Related Centers

Loading

Related Specialties

Loading card

Related Physicians

Related Procedures

Related Resources

Join DoveHubs

and connect with fellow professionals

Related Directories

Who we are

At DoveMed, our utmost priority is your well-being. We are an online medical resource dedicated to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of medical topics. But we're more than just an information hub - we genuinely care about your health journey. That's why we offer a variety of products tailored for both healthcare consumers and professionals, because we believe in empowering everyone involved in the care process.
Our mission is to create a user-friendly healthcare technology portal that helps you make better decisions about your overall health and well-being. We understand that navigating the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming, so we strive to be a reliable and compassionate companion on your path to wellness.
As an impartial and trusted online resource, we connect healthcare seekers, physicians, and hospitals in a marketplace that promotes a higher quality, easy-to-use healthcare experience. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.

© 2023 DoveMed. All rights reserved. It is not the intention of DoveMed to provide specific medical advice. DoveMed urges its users to consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and answers to their personal medical questions. Always call 911 (or your local emergency number) if you have a medical emergency!